Latest News
It’s All There in Black and White: 50 Cent Coffee
Can you believe that we complained when the price of coffee shot up to 50 cents? This newsworthy hike appeared in the October 8, 1976 edition of the Comox District Free Press.
October 2026 Gift Shop News
Looking for some dino-themed games and other activities? The Museum Gift Shop has a fabulous array of gifts from Rex London that you won’t want to miss. From metal lunchboxes and pails, bingo, floor puzzles, stickers and temporary tattoos, and coloured pencil sets, there’s no shortage of prehistoric playtime. And for those who don’t fancy fossils, Rex London has supplied the gift shop with table tennis sets, DIY kite kits, and floating ball games.
Lecture: North Island Heritage Sites
Plan your next “staycation” with historian Jeanette Taylor as she presents an illustrated talk about north Vancouver Island’s heritage sites. She brings a wealth of experience to her subject, from writing local history to guided boat tours and her former role as a curator with the Museum at Campbell River.
Button Drive
One of Pamela Mitchell's many projects as Culture Manager is working to create a “treasure box” of ceremonial regalia items to share with KFN members who are without. Buttons are always needed to craft new blankets, and the public are invited to help by donating.
Event: Button Blankets Artist Talks
Pamela Mitchell, artist and K’ómoks First Nation Culture Manager, will present a brief illustrated talk in conjunction with the exhibit that will touch on the history of button blankets as well as common KFN crests. The same talk will be given twice on Saturday, October 24, first at 1pm and again at 1:30 pm.
From the Archives: Photo of the Month October 2026
CDM #p255-357a Post office, Comox, 1912
New Exhibit – Button Blankets
Pamela Mitchell, artist and K’ómoks First Nation Culture Manager, will display pieces of her work in the museum’s Rotary Gallery. The exhibit will feature button blankets. The blankets are important pieces of Indigenous Pacific Northwest Coast regalia with crests that depict a symbol of the wearer’s family heritage.
New Exhibit – Signed, Sealed, Delivered
Post offices used to be one of the main focal points in communities. They were places to gather, socialize, and connect to the rest of the world. They were integral to daily lives.
Fall Fossil Tours
Reserve your spot for a day of discovery! Explore the region’s ancient past on one of our world-famous fossil tours, led by Natural History Curator, Pat Trask, running now through October 2026. There's a tour for everyone: public tours for individuals and families, plus programs built for school classes and adult and youth groups.
In Memoriam: Judy Hagen
The Courtenay and District Museum Society lost a long-time leader and friend with the passing of Author, Researcher, Judy Hagen on July 24, 2026.
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
On September 30 each year, Canada commemorates the tragic and painful history and ongoing impacts of residential schools. The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation honours the children who never returned home and survivors of residential schools, and their families and communities.
Lecture: Seagoing Women
Nearly three out of every four British Columbians live near the Strait of Georgia. Yet, because human beings are typically good at tuning out the familiar, we often neglect this rich body of water, allowing it to fade into the background. And that is doubly true for the world hidden under the waves—a world that teems with astonishing creatures beyond our notice, even our imaginations, as we jog along its edge or glide over it, dozing on a ferry commute.
From the Archives: Photo of the Month August 2026
Gordon McLean (left), two unidentified young men and Dusty d’Esterre (front right) enjoy a sunny day at Williams Beach. S.B.W. (Dusty) d’Esterre photograph. This photo and its caption appear on page 139 of Step Into Wilderness: A Pictorial History of Outdoor Exploration in and around the Comox Valley.